Automatic electric railroad-crossing gate



April 17,'1928. R. o

AUTOMATI ELECTRIC RAILROAD CROSSING GATE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

7K Olaya/z. `BY Y ATTORNEYS J' R. O. DORGAN Filed April 29. 1927 AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC RAILROAD CROSSING GATE vApril 17, 1928.

Patented Apr. 17, 1928.

UNITED STA TESl PATENT oFFICE.

RALPH o. IJORGAN, 0E MoBILE, ALABAMA.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC RAILROAD-CROSSING GATE.

Appiicrion fried Asriizs, 1927. `serial No. 187,530.

N ith the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, andr more particularly pointed out in the'appended claims.

ln the drawings: v

Figure 1 vis a vertical sectional view`v of the gate casing,showingthe electric motor and gearing for moving the gate to av closed or an open'position. v l Y FigureZ isa sectionaljviewtaken on line 2#2, Figure 1, an'dlooking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary top plairview of the apparatus, showing the track switches, while i Figure 4ris a view in side elevation of the same, taken on line it-e4, Figure 3, and looking in the direction ofthe arrows. y y

Figure 5 is a transverse view taken on line 55,.Figure 3, and'looking in the ,direction of 'the arrows.

Figure G is an ol the track switches, while- Y.

Figure 7 is a view in side elevation of the same. f

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view of a complete wiring unit, showing the `entire hookup for a single gate.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary, side view ofa gate casing and part of the gate operating mechanism. j l

Figure 10 is a plan view of the disc with the pins extending therefrom.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 'designates the platform upon which rests the gate casing 2. A driven shaft 3 is journalled upon gate casing 2, and xedly secured to shaft 8. is swinging gate' 4r. A crank shaft 5 is journalled upon casing 2v below driven shaft 3. This crank shaft 5 is provided outoperated Venlarged planVV view of one YlVhen the' locomotive or side ofthe casing 2 with a crank portion 6, to which is secured/one end of link 7; the

other end of link 7 'is pivotally securedwithin the outer bifurcate'dend of arm.V Arm 8 is'fiizedly .secured at its inner end, to' driven shaft 3, Fig. 2. A motor 9 is within casing 2,

and is connected through a train of gears` 10 to the crank shaft 5, so that when the motor is in operation, rotary n'ioven'ientwi'll be imparted to saidshaft. A disc 11 is iixedly secured to crank shaft 5 within casing 2, and

this disc is provided-with two pins 12, exa-A tending in a horizontal positionfrom one side thereof.y These pins are adapted to alternately vcome `V,in Contact with operating finger 13 of the master switch 14, as hereinafter described. v Y

As shown in Figure 8, a highway 15 vcrosses the 'railroad track 16, and at opposite sides of track 16, contiguous tothe highway 15, I' placeftwo of my gate apparatus, but as eachis similarly constructed, I am only de-' scribing specifically onel apparatus. Two sets of track switch ycasingsl are located at yeach side of the track, whereby the two track or ratchet switches 18 in each casing 17 are practically at the saine time. These switches 18-v are of the ordinary standard ratchet type switches, whereby a quarter turn 'will close or open a circuit. i

A train or locomotiveV provided with striker barv 19 'approaches for instance over the end A of the track 16v; the striker barv 19 enters lthe slot Q0 of casing 17 atendA of said track, and said bar engages lever 21 of each swtchlS, throwing the switch a quarter turn, and as the 'striker bar passes out of casing 17, the levers 21`of said switches 18 will be returned to their normal set posi-` vtion (Fg'f) by coil springs 22; vthese springs 22 attach at their outer en'ds toy the casing in any suitable' manner, and their other ends are fastened' to the levers 21.`

train (not shown) carrying the striker bar 19 passes the outer, casing '17 and its switches, the closing of the circuits by the quarter turn or rotation of switches 18 willv result in the motors 9 being thrown in circuit, whereby the two gates 4 vwill be lowered across the highway 15. Then,

when the locomotive or train passes the inner7 casing 17 on the side of the railroad as the casing 17 at the end A, the striker bar 1,9 will have caused the switches in this inner casing `to have moved a quarter turn, which causes the motors 9 to be reversed,

thereby resulting in the gates al being raised.

I have provided an electroinagnet 23 (Fig. 1), which when energize'dwill lift the brake arin 24, releasing the motor 9, whereas when no current is flowing through the electro` magnet 23, the power of the spring is sufficient to hold arni 2li tightly clainped against the inotor for braking the saine. Any suitable type of a braking inech'anisiu'n'iay be used, butI have illustrated in a general way merely the parts 23, 24 and 25.

The master switch let will stop the inotor 9 at the proper time, so that the gate 4 is in a correct horizontal, closed position or is in a vertical open position. Then theinotor `is started by the train closing the circuit, through the inediuin of the switch in the outer casing r17,- the gears continue to rotate until one of the pins 12 coines in contact with the operating linger 13 of said inaster switch 11i, whereby said switch is turned one quarter, breaking thecircuit, not only of the ino tor but of the electroinagnet 23, whereupon the inotor is positively stopped by the brake being applied by spring 25. Then, when the train passes by the coinpaniontrack casing, and lthrough the striker bar 19, operates the ratchet switches therein, the ciicuit is closed with the inotor 9 and electroii'iagi'iet 23, resulting in the inotor reversing` its polarity and the bi'ake being removed, by arin 24 being drawn upward, permitting` the motor to operate the train of gears in a.l reverse manner, resulting in the gate being raised until the other pin 12 contacts with the operating linger 13 of switch 14, whereupon the circuit is broken, the inotor stopped and the brake applied.

In Figure 8, I have shown a general wiring of one complete gate apparatus, whereas the other gate apparatus has its wiring in a single cable 26 ,fin Figures Sand 4, the wirl ing to the coinnion type switches in easing 17 are also included by the cables 26.

`Any number oft'ains can pass over the track 16, going iu dilierent directions, yet

the set ol gate apparatus, at the highway 15,"

will be operated'eflicicntly, Virrespective as to the direction the train is taking over the track, because the placing of a pair of casings 17 at each side of the track, and the cas- `ings in each pair at opposite sides of the highway, ina-kes it possible to'operate the two gates, by the train passing over the track, both to close the gates and then toV raise the gates, as desired'.

tions as shall fairly fall within the scope of the appendedv claiins.

It is to be understood that a oneway inotor will operate the gate as well as a reversible inotor. *i

LvVVhat I claim is: n

1. In an apparatusof the class described, the ceinbination with a, gate casing,oit' an oscillating,A driven shaft journalled upon said casing, a crank s haft .journalledupon said casing, an arin secured tosaid drivensha'ft, ineans pivotally connectingsaid arin'to said crank shaft, a gate ixedly Secured vtovrsaid driven shaft, a. ratchet switch provided with anfoperating linger on said gate casing, said crank shaft provided with ineans engaging said operating finger for actuating Vsaid switch, andf'ineans for rotating said crank shaft. f 7

2. In an apparatus of the class described, t-he combination with a gate easing,"a driven shaft on said gateY casing, aV gate iixedly secured to said driven shaft, ofla crank .shaft jour-nalled on said gate casing, said crank shaft providedwitli a. crank portion outside lof saidicasing, an arnifixedly 'se cured at its inner endV to said driven sha-ft and being` bifurcated Yat its outer end, a link pivotally connected atene end to vsaid crank portion and pivotally connectedl at its Vother end to said bifurcated end off said arni, a disc iixedly secured to said crank shaft within said casing, said disc provided with a pair of horizontallyextending pins, a switch provided with an operating lii'iger fastened to the inside of said gate casing, said pinsV of the disc adapted to alternately engage said operating linger, aud electrical Aineans for rot-ating said crank shaft.

In testimony whereof 1 hereunto ahix my signature. Y RALPH 0. DQRGAN.'

Tli 

